1. Field
Embodiments of the present invention relate generally to oil film bearings employed in various types of industrial equipment, including for example rolling mill laying heads, and are concerned in particular with improved bushings designed to more efficiently retain oil circulating through the bearings.
2. Description of Related Art
In a conventional oil film bearing, oil is supplied continuously to a lubricated zone between a rotating journal and the surrounding bearing surface of a fixed cylindrical bushing. The oil escapes from the inboard and outboard ends of the lubricated zone and is collected in a housing sump from which it is recirculated through cooling and filtering equipment before being reintroduced into the bearing.
The oil escaping from the inboard end of the lubricated zone flows directly into the sump. Oil escaping in the opposite direction from the outboard end of the lubricated zone is redirected by a seal assembly back to the sump. Under high speed operating conditions, such as for example those encountered in rolling mill laying heads, the seal assembly may be overwhelmed by the volume of oil escaping from the outboard end of the lubricated zone, resulting in leakage of oil from the bearing.